Homemade Whipped Cream

Fresh Homemade Whipped Cream is made in minutes with only 3 ingredients! It’s the perfect addition or topping to any dessert.

Homemade Whipped Cream is so simple and so delicious! This recipe makes 4 cups, so half if needing less. It is PERFECT for all of your Whipped Cream needs on things like Mexican Hot Chocolate, Banana Cream Pie, or Ice Cream Sandwich Cake.

Whipped Cream 101

We love dessert here, and so many of our treats call for the same ingredient – Whipped Cream! It’s a standard when we are talking about desserts (hello Cream Puff Cake and Dirt Cake)!

Although you can buy Cool Whip from the store, sometimes it’s nice to whip up a fresh batch of delicious Homemade Whipped Cream.

You won’t believe how easy it is to make a homemade version of Whipped Cream. It takes minutes, and the result is far better than anything that can be bought at the store.

For this recipe, you need just 3 simple ingredients:

• heavy whipping cream
• powdered sugar
• vanilla

Because whipping cream and heavy cream have high-fat content, they are ideal for making Homemade Whipped Cream.

Heavy cream and whipping cream are quite similar and can be used interchangeably. Heavy cream has about 36% fat content while whipping cream contains between 30-35% fat. Both have a higher fat content than milk or half and half, which makes them ideal to use when making a whip cream topping. 

How to Make Whipped Cream

As we mentioned, this Whipped Cream recipe is so simple!

PREP. Place your mixing bowl and whisk attachment (or beaters if mixing with a hand mixer) in the freezer for about 10 minutes to chill.

CREAM. Once chilled, remove from the freezer and add heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla to your bowl.

BEAT. Whether you are using the Kitchen-aid or a hand-mixer, start mixing on low speed then increase to medium-high speed and mix until soft peaks form.

Tip to fix over-whipped cream: whisk in a little more cream and mix – soft peaks should still form.

Make whipped cream in the food processor

Add the cold heavy whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla. Mix for a few minutes.

The bowl and blade can be at room temperature too, so the process is quick! Try this version if you have a food processor and need Whipped Cream quickly!

Make it in a jar! Just add all the ingredients to a jar, add the lid, and shake for about 5 minutes. Works like a charm.

Recipe Tips

Keep Whipped Cream fluffy:

There is a trick we have used to make sure whipped cream doesn’t deflate in the first hour – gelatin!

• Add ¼ cup cold water to a small pot, then sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of unflavored, powdered gelatin.
• Let the gelatin soften and absorb the water, which takes about 4-5 minutes.
• Place pan over low heat and stir until the gelatin dissolves. Let cool.
• Make your whipped cream as usual and slowly add gelatin mixture until soft peaks re-form. You’ll get soft, fluffy mounds that stay fluffy!!

Dairy-free whipped cream. Use full-fat coconut milk. Use just the solidified coconut fat at the top of the can, which can be used to whip into a smooth, creamy topping.

Powdered sugar, aka confectioners’ sugar, can form little lumps. For the smoothest Whipped Cream, I suggest sifting it before using it in the recipe. Do not use granulated sugar.

Clean bowl. It is important to have a clean bowl without any oil residue. Stick to glass or metal as it is the easiest to clean thoroughly. Scrape the sides of the bowl as you mix to make sure everything whips together nicely.

Soft peaks. DO NOT over-mix. The soft peaks will become stiff peaks and the next step would be butter. Test your whipped cream for soft peaks by lifting the beater out of the cream. The whipped cream will rise up like a little mountain peak.

• Soft peaks will hold their shape for a second before melting back down.
• Stiff peaks will hold the shape. 

Flavored Whipped Cream

I used vanilla extract, but you can use all sorts of different flavors depending on what you plan to pair with the Whipped Cream. 

Extract. The easiest way to change the flavor is to use other types of extract like almond, peppermint, or orange. Use less than 2 teaspoons or the flavor may be too overwhelming. 

Steep. Another way to adjust the flavor is to steep the heavy cream before using it in the recipe.

1. Add the cream to a small saucepan.
2. Add in the flavor of choice; some ideas include a teaspoon of dried lavender, ¼ c basil leaves, or mint leaves.
3. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Strain the cream in a mesh sieve to remove the herbs.
4. Chill overnight in the fridge. Use as directed in the recipe, omitting the vanilla.

For more dessert toppings, check out:

• Chocolate Fudge Sauce
• White Chocolate Fudge Sauce
• Strawberry Sauce

Storing Info

Make ahead of time. If making in advance, and Whipped Cream deflates a bit, add a little more whipping cream and beat again right before using (or see our tip about adding gelatin to keep things fluffy).

STORE in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

To FREEZE, simply dollop spoonfuls onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Freeze for about 1-2 hours. When solid, store in an air-tight container or freezer-bag in the freezer.

Favorite Whipped Cream desserts

We love this recipe so much and use it in many desserts!

Whether mixed into the dessert or just on top, it’s something we use all the time and this homemade version can’t be beaten!

Add a dollop of Whipped Cream on top of a bowl of fresh fruit like blueberry, peach, or strawberry. Add it to an Ice Cream sundae, Hot Cocoa, or on top of pies, crisps, or cobblers.

Here are some of our favorite desserts to make with easy Whipped Cream:

• Jello Poke Cake
• Cream Puff Cake
• Peach Cobbler
• Coconut Cream Pie
• Strawberry Shortcake Bars
• Pumpkin Pie

For even more desserts with whipped cream:

• Chocolate Mousse
• Frozen Strawberry Dessert
• Strawberry Shortcake
• Churro Funnel Cake
• Oreo Pudding Poke Cake
• Angel Food Cupcakes